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Roc Marciano "Absolem" (2013)

Album: Bass For Your FaceLabel: Ultra Music

DJ Muggs: “I linked with Roc Marciano through Alchemist out in L.A. I love his shit. He didn’t give me a title for the song, but I called it ‘Absolem,’ because that’s the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland smoking opium. And the song is real smoked out. I had this idea for the video, where we’re in an opium den smoking weed, and the caterpillar’s in the video, and we think we see him, like we’re hallucinating. I just never got back to L.A. at the time [to shoot it]. I hope we still get a chance to do it, because I love the song.

“I’m trying to make a point here, that this is a hip-hop record, with futuristic sounds and elements. No EDM fuckers are going to play this or like it. Everyone is like, ‘This is Muggs’ EDM record.’ But it’s not dance music. The reason I signed to Ultra is because of Patrick [Moxey], who managed DJ Premier for twenty years [and started the label]. So when I was up at Ultra, I was like, ‘Yo Patrick, I want to make more of a hip-hop record.’ And he’s like, ‘Do that.’

“But some of the A&Rs up there were like, ‘This ain’t dance enough.’ Because they’re used to David Guetta, and all that other shit. I’m like, ‘Come on. This is what this is. This is what my interpretation of this is.’ It’s about the sounds. I made Roc record for [the hip-hop heads].

Right now, my favorite MCs are Action [Bronson] and [Roc Marciano]. Those guys are making me want to make music. I want to make hip-hop more than I have in the last fifteen years.

“In a perfect world, it would be dope to make a whole record with Roc Marci like this, and just bug people out. I think I did a good job of bringing the energy he has in his records with this sound. He’s the shit. I was lucky to be able to work with him.

“Right now, my favorite MCs are Action [Bronson] and him. Those guys are making me want to make music. I want to make hip-hop more than I have in the last fifteen years. The hip-hop shit I’m on now is [sick]. I went in and made like 40 beats in 30 days.

“Then I went to Al’s, and I was like, ‘Here’s four for you guys. And here’s four for you guys.’ I played them beats that are like, you know, nobody would want that beat but me, and maybe like, RZA. But they’re like, ‘Yo!!!’ So it’s like, they’re making me want to make music. It’s a good time right now.”